But, I Need You!
by ddp456
Summary: Wendy Corduroy is the kind of person every girl wants to be: cool, popular, hip, smart, and confident. However, a huge piece of her life is missing; something that she would do ANYTHING to get back. For this, she learns there may be severe consequences for her actions. Please leave as many reviews/comments/suggestions if you liked/disliked. Thanks to MsAlice651 for the cover!
1. Chapter 1

*SIGH*

Wendy Corduroy sighed in discontent as she pushed open the heavy wooden door. Once she was inside the fully furnished, yet highly secluded cabin in the Gravity Falls woods, she exhaled in relief. Pressed against the now-locked door, she raised her emerald eyes to examine the slightly dimmed room.

There was not a soul around. More specifically, there wasn't anyone there to welcome her home after a long, exhausting day of work.

"Okay…" she admitted to herself. "_Perhaps_ I'm laying it on a bit too thick…" After all, Wendy was honest enough with herself to acknowledge that she wasn't the hardest-working girl out there, but at the same time, it would be kind of nice to get the same type of reception at _her own home_ that she received at work.

Her mind flashed back to only a few moments before, as she left her late-night shift at the Mystery Shack; of how her friend and co-worker Mabel Pines tightly hugged her waist with affection before bidding her goodnight; or in which Mabel's twin brother Dipper bid the same, with a painfully-shy wave and dimpled smile, but yet, would make sure to personally escort her out every night, waiting at the edge of the woods until she faded from sight, as a sort of protecting her from the oddities and freaks that plagued the small, mountain town (or so he claimed…). Heck, the handyman, Soos would occasionally check in with her to see how her day was going, and even the Shack's owner, Stan Pines, would stop to say hello or bye as long as he wasn't in a cranky mood.

Wendy returned her sights to the empty room in front of her. She wondered to herself, "If such things are the norm for _complete strangers_, is it really asking much to expect the same from my own family?"

Seemingly depressed, Wendy slid off her purposely-oversized lumberjack boots and left them neatly by the entrance. The cool, wooden flooring felt miraculous on her swollen, stocking soles. Wendy was only able to take a few steps before that feeling of disgust jabbed her in the gut once more.

The entire front room was completely trashed! The television was left on; its warming glow briefly illuminated the parlor in random flashes. At the couch, three TV-trays were left unhinged, each covered in sticky, yet hardened food. Cups filled with half-drank beverages adorned each platform. To make matters worse, random, discarded piles of clothing decorated the comfy loveseat. Wendy didn't even have to approach them to realize that they were dirty; she could smell the reek even from her distance. She could only shake her head in dismay, figuring that this was a consequence of living with four boys (counting the unsanitary habits of her father into the mix).

Holding her breath, Wendy quickly swooped up the soiled clothing and rushed into the bathroom. She threw the clothing into the nearby hamper, and slammed the top shut, in hopes of removing the dreaded funk from the atmosphere. Returning to the mess at hand, Wendy turned off the TV, and began to gather the drinks from the trays. With her arms full, the gingered teen started to head into the kitchen. As she did so, Wendy asked herself, "How did _she_ put up with all this?"

Wendy stopped in her tracks when she noticed a light stemming from the next room. As she listened on, Wendy could make out the sound of different voices laughing in absolute glee. Tip-toeing in her socked feet, the lanky girl peered into the kitchen to see where the commotion was about.

She watched as her three mischievous younger brothers proceeded to have a massive food fight throughout the length of the kitchen. Wendy looked on in horror and aggravation as ice cream was splattered throughout the entire room! The three Corduroy brothers hopped from chair to table to counters in a massive chase to coat each other in dairy products. After a few moments, Wendy finally decided she had seen enough.

"JUST WHAT DO YOU THREE THINK YOU'RE DOING?! WHY AREN'T YOU IN BED?!"

All three boys gasped in shock as they stopped in mid-step.

"Oh, crap! Busted"

"I thought she was already home? Wasn't she asleep upstairs?"

The third boy turned and stared his sister straight in the eyes.

"Umm…it wasn't us?"

Wendy let out her frustrations immediately, "What's the matter with you three?! Are you guys INSANE?! Do you know how long it's only to take _me_ to clean this mess up?!"

The eldest boy crossed his arms, rolled his eyes, and scoffed, "Sorry, _Mom_…"

With that last snide comment, Wendy instantly saw red. She pointed upwards and bellowed,

"BED! NOW!"

Seeing the pure rage in their sister's demeanor, the three boys fearfully ran out of the room without as much as a second glance. As soon as the area was cleared, the stressed freckled faced girl let out another moan of misery. She hated what had to do, but what else could be done? As if by second nature, she set down the dirty cups by the sink, and dropped to her knees. She threw open the cabinet beneath the sink and pulled out her "trusty tools:" a half-filled bottle of cleaner and several worn-out rags.

With the velocity of a ninja, Wendy proceeded to wipe down the kitchen walls, floors, and table coated in gooey dessert. As she scrubbed away as the vivid mess, her anger only grew. Why did she always get stuck with cleaning up these disasters? Because she was the only girl in the house? "No…" Wendy reassured herself. "…it's because if I didn't do it, _no one else_ would."

Granted, she was used to doing monotonous, repetitive chores due to her job at the Mystery Shack, but at the same time, she was being _paid_ to do so! At home, she was left to do all of these endless tasks without as much as a simple "_thank you_."

In truth, Wendy wasn't really upset about the mess as much as she was the ignorant comment that her younger brother uttered to her. How _dare_ he call her _that_ name, as if it was some sort of insult! Wendy understood that her brothers were handicapped by their youth; of how they probably didn't remember how _great_ everything used to be. Still, this was no excuse to slight _her_ like that…

After she finished with the kitchen, Wendy went back into the front room and wiped down the still-sticky trays. She proceeded to fold each platter up, sliding them back into the stand hoisted against the wall. She head back into the kitchen and threw the cleaning supplies back under the counter. Wendy took the dirty tableware and loaded them into the dishwasher. She turned the machine on, figuring to herself, "Hey, I'm cleaning them; the least they can do is put them away!" After a moment, she heaved upon the realization that there was little to no chance of that actually happening.

Upon finishing, Wendy felt her stomach rumble. Cleaning up all of the excess food gave the exhausted teenager the munchies. Playfully sliding on her socks across the laminated floor, Wendy opened the refrigerator door to see what she could make for a late-night dinner. As she explored the confines of the icebox, Wendy discovered that her family had maintained the status quo: they didn't even leave her a plate of leftovers. For this, she figured a quick sandwich would be the way to go. She also reached for the last _Pitt Cola_, but after remembering that she had work early the next day, decided to get a glass of milk instead.

After making herself a double-decker filled with various meats, veggies, and dripping with nearly every condiment known to man, Wendy stopped the dishwasher, threw in her used utensils, and restarted the machine. Pleased with her fixings, Wendy used a free finger to shut off the light and headed towards the staircase leading to the second floor.

Upon coming to the nearest door, Wendy could see a light creeping out from behind the wooden door. Placing her ear against the frame, she could hear the various degrees of rowdy, childish laughter once again. Lacking a free hand, Wendy kicked a socked foot against the entry.

"GET TO BED!"

Within a split second, Wendy could hear the sounds of things being shuffled, responding with the light inside the room being shut off. After listening to nothing but complete silence for a few moments, Wendy contently went on her way.

The next room she passed echoed a different, yet strange sound. Static garbles seemed to fill the nighttime air. Wendy stepped into the room to see her father fast asleep in his recliner. His epic snoring was blanketed by the sound of the TV being set on a channel without broadcast. Wendy set down her plates on the nearby nightstand, and glared down about her father.

Her dad was none other than Manly Dan, infamous lumberjack and strongman of Gravity Falls legend. All men wanted to be him, and those same people also feared him tremendously. As Wendy viewed over the burly man fast asleep before her, Wendy presumed that he must have passed out in front of the TV due to a long day of work, as well an equally-lengthy night of hanging out at the _Skull Fracture_. Still, she remembered how he had a natural sweetness hidden within that heated, muscular frame; something that her brothers severely lacked. However, those rare instances have been few and far behind in recent times. Maybe, _just maybe_, he was just as distraught about missing _her_ as she was…

Wendy went over to the bed and took a blanket from it. Carefully, he placed around her dad's shoulders, letting it drape over him. Taking another step forward, Wendy bent down and kissed her father's forehead, wishing him good night. Involuntarily, Manly Dan let out a fumed groan and shrugged his daughter away from his side. He instantaneously returned to his heavy slumber. Heartbroken, but definitely not surprised, Wendy retrieved her dinner, and sulked out of the room.

As Wendy was about to enter her bedroom, she looked across at the now-abandoned room across from hers. A sense of nostalgia filled the lanky teen as memories flowed through her mind. After all, that was _her_ hobby room, where _she_ could do almost anything! Wendy would sit and watch as she knitted, painted, sculpted, played music from nearly any instrument given to her; all this amongst other things! Thinking about such an amazing person made Wendy smile deeply. She went to head towards the door, in a naïve attempt to relive some of the most treasured moments in her life.

A second later, Wendy stopped in her tracks. "What am I doing?" she asked herself. Every time she did this, she only ended more depressed and flustered than before. She wondered why she kept doing this to herself, as if revisiting old times was going to change the past in any way. Defeated, Wendy went back towards her room and used a knee to open her door.

Despite being in the total darkness, Wendy was easily able to navigate through the room via her memory. Placing her food on the wooden desk positioned against the wall, Wendy used a free hand to turn on the light. With a flick of her wrist, Wendy took off her trademark trapper hat and perfectly threw it towards her bed's upper-right post, landing the shot with one attempt. Wendy raised her hand in victory, coupling it with a whispered, "YES!" She pulled out her soft, black roller chair and sat down, leaning back and placing her feet on her desk. Wendy reached down, grabbed the latest issue of _Indie Fuzz_ from its hiding place under the desk, and began to read the magazine from top to bottom (taking various bites and sips between paragraphs).

After she was finished with her meal, Wendy pushed the plate and glass against the far end of the desk (to ensure she didn't accidentally knock them over during her usual morning "oh-no-I'm-running-late" rush). She looked at the clock mounted firmly on her wall, seeing that she HAD to get to bed soon, or else, she would be more zombified at work than usual.

Placing the magazine on the desk, Wendy stood up, raised her arms, and yawned. She reached down and shut her desk lamp off for the night. Feeling too lazy to get changed, Wendy opted to sleep in her regular clothes tonight. She sat on the bed and pulled off her socks. Wendy also hit the switch on the mini-fan placed on her nightstand, knowing that her room becomes incredibly hot, especially during the middle of summer. For this, she decided to sleep above the covers, instead spreading a thin comforter across her midsection.

As she started to drift onwards into sleep, Wendy couldn't help but recall her recent thoughts. She turned towards her window, where she focused her gaze into the bright, starry sky. Wendy closed her green eyes, with an impossible hope in her heart:

_"If only things could be different…if only…I would do anything…"_


	2. Chapter 2

*HUFF* *PUFF*

"…gotta hurry…"

Despite being in a state of still-half-asleep, Wendy zipped and zoomed through the obstacles set before her. She groaned as she seemed to hit every bump and rough patch in the Gravity Falls Forest.

"I can't believe…" Wendy bemoaned to herself. "…that I overslept _again_! Stan's going to _kill_ me for being late!"

The image of the cranky old coot flashed in the young girl's mind. She could easily picture him standing at the doorway of the Mystery Shack, complete with angry scowl, pointing down at his watch, reminding her that "_time is money_!"

At long last, the ginger found her way out of the woods and approached the dilapidated cabin where she (hopefully still) had employment. She hopped off her bike, letting it crash against the wooden frame. Wendy had little worries of her transportation being stolen, figuring that she could sneak out later to lock it up properly. She stowed away her helmet and carefully crept through the side door, avoiding setting off the little bell attached to the panel.

"PHEW! No one's around…_yet_."

Wendy tip-toed to her station and began to clear off the gift shop counter. As she started to ready the cash register, she could hear a voice shouting from behind the door leading into the Pines' living room. "Was someone in trouble?" she asked herself. Trying her best to not alert anyone of her presence, Wendy carefully pressed her ear against the door. She quickly recognized the squeaky, pre-pubescent tone of Dipper Pines. It seemed like he was arguing with someone. She closed her eyes and listened closely, not in an effort to spy on her favorite pipsqueak, but to ensure that he was alright.

"I know, I know, but…

Yeah, Grunkle Stan is taking great care of us…

No! No, we don't miss any meals; heck, there's a diner just down the road…

Yes! I do keep an eye on Mabel! I'm not stupid, okay?!"

Since Wendy could only hear one side of the conversation, she had figured that Dipper was on the phone; but with whom exactly? After a moment of silence, the tween continued on:

"Look, I didn't mean to be sarcastic. No; I don't want to have you come all the way down here. Yeah, I'm sorry…

Uh huh…uh huh…yeah, I'll keep an eye out for that care package. And yeah, I'll make sure Mabel gives you a call later today…

Yeah…yeah…I love you, too, _Mom_. Bye-bye…"

With that last sentence, Wendy was instantly taken aback. Images of her departed loved one began to flow throughout her mind, as if serendipity had somehow stalked her troubled thoughts from the night before. The heartbroken teen was left so stunned that she didn't notice that her young counterpart had hung up the phone, and swung open the door, nearly hitting Wendy in the face.

"AHH!" the surprised lad shrieked at the sight of his frozen secret love lying in wait for him. In an effort to conceal his embarrassment, Dipper quickly replied, "Oh…I mean, 'Ah, Wendy!' There you are! Grunkle Stan was looking for you a minute ago…"

Wendy blushed at her friend's silliness, biting her cheeks to avoid laughing heartily at Dipper's girlish scream. After a minute of awkward silence, Wendy finally replied, "Yeah, I've been in here straightening up for when the customers come." She shuffled her feet on the floor, teetering with the temptation to ask the boy about his conversation. All of a sudden, Wendy's will sunk deep down into her stomach, prompting her to question Dipper.

"So…didn't mean to eavesdrop," the plucky teen lied. "But I heard things getting loud even from way over here. Everything cool with you?"

Dipper sighed in disgust, "Oh, _that_. It's nothing to worry about, Wendy. It's just my mom being a royal pain. As usual…"

Unbeknownst to Dipper, his words had accidentally touched a sensitive nerve within his crush. "Really?" Wendy pressed on. "How so?"

"I couldn't even name all the ways!" the boy loudly exclaimed. "She calls me every day to bug me with the stupidest questions: Did I eat today? Do I have enough clean underwear? Is Grunkle Stan still alive?"

Trying to hide her rising anger, Wendy attempted to reason with the flustered youth. "Well…" she said, pressing down on her lower lip. "…to me, it just sounds like she actually cares about you…"

"I know that," Dipper nodded in agreement. "But at the same time, does she have to be so…annoying doing so?"

Wendy beaded her eyes down at the totally unaware Dipper as he continued on with his tirade. Dipper pointed his hands against his chest to further illustrate his point.

"I mean, I'm a young adult! Underline the 'adult' in that sentence! When is she going to realize that young adults like _us_ don't need our mommies following _us_ around every second of the day?"

"Like _us_?" Her inclusion into Dipper's statement made Wendy's eyes widen.

"Yeah, Wendy. Heck, you are the perfect example of this. I mean, I barely see your parents hanging around you, and you seem to manage on your own just fine!"

Instead of gazing upon an affectionate young fan singing her praises of independence, Wendy immediately saw red. Without hesitation, she stormed up to the unprepared pre-teen.

"Well, let me tell you something, 'Mr. Know-It-All,' " Wendy snarled, poking Dipper roughly in the chest with her index finger, forcing the young boy back in retreat. "Maybe it's not as great as you think to be without a mom!"

"W-W-Wendy?!" Dipper stammered in horror, totally thrown for a loop by his friend's sudden change in behavior.

The freckled-faced girl prodded at her companion with every sentence until he found himself with his back literally against the wall:

"Maybe some of _us_ would love to have a mom that made sure that _we_ had eaten that day; that ensured that _we_ were wearing _actually_ clean clothes, or heck, even to see if _we_ were having a good day or not! Maybe some of _us_ take that gift for granted, totally unaware that it can be easily snatched away without rhyme or reason! Maybe…maybe…"

Dipper could see that Wendy's tone was changing as she screamed at him. The anger found within her voice was quickly replaced with a broken pitch, as if sobs were being held back. He glanced up to see that tears were gathering in the emerald eyes he adored so much.

"…maybe some of _us_ would do anything; _anything_ to tell _their_ mothers that they loved them one last time…or just to get the chance to say good…good…"

The dumbstruck tween could easily look past Wendy's stern face, complete with streaming tears, to see that something was seriously wrong. But what had happened exactly?

Dipper's thoughts quickly shifted as the wheels inside of his head started to turn:

"Wait a sec," he reflected to himself, keeping in mind Wendy's heart-driven rants. "Everyone knows her dad, Manly Dan, and I have seen her brothers several times (even though I keep forgetting their names), but I don't remember ever meeting Wendy's mom…"

Suddenly, lightning struck the young boy as he now understood the seriousness of his presumptuous error.

"_Her mom_!"

"Oh, Wendy," Dipper sympathized, holding his hands up in defense. "I didn't realize …I mean…I just didn't know-"

Wendy recoiled at the sight of her shorten friend beckoning to her. Instantly, she was able to regain some control over her emotions.

"Dipper…"

Exhausted and left with a headache, the teen closed her eyes with her left thumb and index finger, pinching the area just above her nose.

"Can you get outta here for a while? Y'know; go into the woods and chase a monster, or whatever. I need…I just need some time alone to cool off…_please_?"

Ignoring the snide remark, Dipper nodded and slithered away obediently, figuring that giving Wendy her meager request for solitude was the least he could do for the girl he loved with all his heart.

As the hours passed and the Mystery Shack started to swell with numerous tourists, Wendy stood nonchalantly behind the counter; her thoughts shattering every time a customer would come up to her to be rung out.

In between serving guests, Wendy would simply sit quietly and watch the various groups of people come and go from her line of sight. Her attention would focus particularly on little girls, holding on to the hand of their mothers; of how these tiny angels would smile up at their towering guardians and laugh without a care in the world. "_Just like how it's supposed to be…_" Wendy thought to herself, with a hint of jealously lingering in her heart. After exploring the gift shop for a while, these groups would rejoin a much larger, yet complete family; absolutely free of the arguments and petty concerns that plagued her kin on an everyday basis.

Time passed slowly as nostalgia seemed to plague the mind of the troubled clerk. As the room started to empty, Wendy leaned back on her stool, placing her feet on the counter in an effort to find some sort of relaxation amongst all the rising tension within her lanky frame. The sudden quiet in the gift shop made Wendy's imagination wander with gentle ease.

Out of the corner of her eye, Wendy noticed something that seemed totally out of place at the rustic tourist trap. On the opposite side, she spotted a small child facing the corner of the room. Upon further inspection, she observed that the short, red-pigtailed girl appeared to be quivering, as she had her arms wrapped around herself. Even though Wendy couldn't clearly make out the sound, she could have sworn she had heard whimpering and weeping coming from that direction.

As if rising from the shadows of the run-down shop, a tall and well-built tuxedoed man approached the child from behind. The middle-aged gentleman poked her firmly on the shoulder with his customized 8-ball cane.

"Hey! You there! What are you doing here, kid? The tour's been over for hours now! You didn't get yourself lost, did ya?"

With a gasp, the child spun around to face the adult. Her green eyes were reddened with moisture. Her dimpled, freckled face was stained by dried tears. Her braces dimly reflected the lights hanging overhead. More tears dripped down onto her emerald-colored shirt and black tights. In anxiousness, her vision immediately shot down to her black slip-ons.

"I'm sorry, mister," the redhead apologized. "I didn't mean to stow away. It's just that…" She let out a loud, wet sob. "I just like this place, and lately, there really isn't a lot that makes me really happy…"

The man took a knee, groaning with each movement, to meet the young admirer eye-to-eye, "What's your name, little lady?"

"Wendy…" the girl sniffled. "Wendy Corduroy."

"Corduroy?" the elder questioned, adjusting his thick-framed glasses. "As in the lumberjack?"

"Uh huh!" she replied. "That's my dad."

"Does he know you're here, young lady?"

A sense of nervousness came over the girl as she sensed the sternness in the stranger's voice, "N-N-No, sir…" she answered respectfully. "He's too busy working or spending time with my younger brothers to notice. It's been like this ever since…since my…my…"

All of a sudden, the tiny figure became so distraught, she was unable to finish her sentence. The owner's eyes lit up as he quickly remembered what the blubbering child was referring to. He placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Oh…listen, kid. I wanted to say I'm sorry to hear about your mom. She was one-of-a kind; a classy dame in every aspect. In fact…" The man hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "In fact, she was probably one of the few people who ever treated me nice in this wretched town!"

He had seen that his sympathies had no effect on the shattered tween before him. He ran his hand against the stubble on his chin, desperate to find the right words to brighten the inconsolable youngster.

Suddenly, he snapped his fingers, "Tell you what, kid? What would you say if I gave you the grand tour? It'll be on the house just this once." He quickly muttered under his breath, making sure that the downtrodden girl couldn't hear, "After that, I'll probably start a tab under your father's name…" He lowered himself back to her level, "So…whatdya say, eh?"

Despite still being drenched in tears, the little redheaded girl's eyes lit up like fireworks. "You'd…You'd do that…for me?"

The old man shrugged his shoulders, "Why not? It's the least I could do to honor your old lady." He cupped his hand against his mouth, "SOOS!"

Seconds after the scream echoed through the empty corridor, a portly, stout young adult came running from the darkness. Wendy noted that his green t-shirt had the same poorly-drawn question mark symbol had adorned the quaint tourist trap. She fought the instinct to laugh at his crooked, bowl-cut hairstyle. Upon seeing the elder, he stood up straight and saluted.

"Yes, sir, Mr. Pines?"

The elder used his cane to point downwards, "Soos, this is Wendy. We have arranged to give her a special tour of the Mystery Shack. Y' know; a behind the scenes look! Go where no other moral has dared to enter before!"

"Oh! Lucky!" Soos playfully elbowed the girl. "A complete guide to the paranormal by Mr. Mystery himself! Can't get much better than that!"

Seeing that his gesture had definitely to raise Wendy's spirits, Mr. Pines continued on with his over-the-top performance, pointing into the darkness leading out of the room, "Now, my dear, you're about to cross a threshold into the mystic and unbelievable. Once you go pass that line, _your life will never be the same again_." He met the girl face-to-face. "Do you think you're ready?"

The revived ginger nodded excitedly at the offer.

The man smiled down at his tiny charge. "SOOS!" he barked once more. "Make our guest comfortable!"

"WHOA!"

Wendy was swiftly hoisted into the air. The gentle giant held her securely into his broad shoulder. The tween beamed down at her new friend, who responded with a simple wink.

"Now that we're situated, "Mr. Pines resumed. "Let's get this show on the road!" Leading the way with his cane, the old man vanished into the dank, with his employee (carrying Wendy in tow) following closely behind…

"Now, this specimen right here, was a beast to take down; forgive the pun. We were locked in battle for nearly 3 days straight, until he finally gave in. I had him stuffed and mounted in honor of our legendary rivalry."

"You so-did not! No way that thing's real!"

"Heh! Looks like we have a smart one here, boss!"

"Quiet, Soos! Don't give away the company's secrets!"

"HAHA! This is great! Do you think…if it's not too much trouble…that I can hang out her e every once and a while?"

"Hmm…"

"Hey, who knows? Maybe when you get a little older, you can work here with me!"

"Jeez, Soos! We're trying to _cheer_ her up here!"

The laughter of the young redhead resonated throughout the dimmed corridors of the haunted residence, shortly fading back into memory.

All of a sudden, Wendy opened her eyes, awakening her from her daydream of reminiscence. She had felt something brush against her ankles, crossed together on the register. Wendy looked forward to see what had happened. A bouquet of fresh flowers, ranging in every possible color, was laid down by Wendy's feet.

Intrigued, the teenager sat up and picked up the arrangement. The aroma quickly entered her nostrils, enticing her to take a long inhale. The fragrance reminded her of the strong smell of foliage stemming from the Gravity Falls Forest; of how she loved that particular scent. Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted by a meek sound:

"Hi…"

She glanced down to see Dipper Pines, his trademark white and blue trucker hat covering his eyes, staring down at the floor in shame.

"Look," he explained his actions. "I know you told me to leave you alone, but I just couldn't leave things as they were…" He rubbed his sneaker against the floor in complete shyness. "So, maybe these can help me show what I really mean to say."

Wendy closed her eyes and took another deep breath. "Dipper, they're beautiful. Thank you…so much!" She lowered her hands down the stems to find that they were gritty. She peeked down to see that a layer of dirt and soil still remained on the flowery.

"Dipper," she laughed. "Did you just yank these out from the forest?"

"Umm…maybe?"

The redhead could do nothing but smile affectionately at her young friend.

"So…" Dipper finally found the courage to look his crush in the eyes. "…can I be forgiven, _please_?"

Wendy flew from behind her post, and dropped to her knees in front of the discouraged boy. She placed her tiny hands on his shoulders.

"You have nothing that needs forgiving, kiddo."

Dipper raised an eyebrow at Wendy's comment, "I-I don't?"

The girl shook her head, "It's just that…" Wendy rolled her eyes as struggled with the truth. "It's just that I have been thinking about my mom a lot lately and…" The redhead took a deep breath, "…and your comment just rubbed me the wrong way."

"But I didn't mean it, Wendy!" Dipper protested. "I was just blowing off some steam!"

"I know, little guy," Wendy started to explain. "I just miss her, especially when I'm at home. " Dipper felt his secret love squeeze him harder. "When I go home for the night, it's totally different from when I'm here with you guys. Half of the time, I'm totally ignored, and for the rest, I end up being the de facto den mother just because I'm the only girl there! It's so messed up that complete strangers treat me way better than my own relatives!" Exhausted, the ginger shut her saddened eyes.

Dipper's eyes widen as Wendy finished her explanation. While he was glad that Wendy truly appreciated his affection, a sense of melancholy overcame him as he was unsure what to think of Wendy's classification of him as a "complete stranger." Despite his mixed feelings, Dipper placed his hands on top of Wendy's to show his support.

"I just wish…I wish I could see her one last time…"

Dipper tried his best to comfort her, "I know, Wendy. If there was a way to do so, I would do anything to help you; I swear it!"

The girl grinned at Dipper's pledge.

"One more thing," he persisted. "Whenever things might going south at home, just remember: you'll always be a part of _this_ family; with Mabel, Soos, Grunkle Stan, and…and _me_…" He lowered his head again, "_I'll always be here for you_…"

Touched deeply by Dipper's affection, Wendy took a hand from his shoulder and placed it under his chin. Raising his head slightly, she came closer to her sympathetic friend, making him tremble in nervousness. Out of instinct, both young adults closed their eyes as their heads inched quicker and quicker. A split second before their lips met, a shrill scream erupted from behind the door leading to the Pines' living room:

"DIPPER!" screamed his twin sister, Mabel. "Come quick! Grunkle Stan got stuck in that narrow spot between the stove and fridge trying to reach for a penny! Help me push him out!"

Wendy and Dipper could hear the greedy elder grunting and straining in vain, "It was worth it!"

Having their tender moment ruined by the sudden noise, the duo sighed, reopened their eyes, and backed away from each other silently in semi-embarrassment, complete with redden cheeks and awkward smiles. Dipper jogged towards Wendy's stand at the gift shop, and began to empty all of his pockets. She figured that the boy did this in order to slim himself down to aid in freeing his great-uncle from his plight.

"I'll be right back, Wendy," he explained. "Would you mind keeping an eye on my stuff?" The teenage nodded in response. Dipper hustled to the door, only to stop at the last second.

"Wendy?"

"Yeah, Dip?"

He turned around to look at her, "I am truly sorry…you know…about _everything_. Your mom sounds like a great lady."

Wendy was confused by the boy's comment, "But, you've never met her…"

He simply smirked at the redhead, "I didn't have to meet her to know that she's great. She has to be! After all, she made _you_, didn't she?"

"DIPPER!"

"Coming! Coming!" The boy gave a small wave to the blushing redhead before disappearing through the wooden door.

With a little bit of pressure off of her frame, Wendy went back to her station to search for a suitable vase for her flowers. Checking beneath the stand, Wendy was only able to find an old, oversized plastic cup. The flannel-covered teen shrugged her shoulders, figuring the abandoned item would fit the bill. She cleaned out all of the dirt and dust, and filled it up with cool, fresh water. After brushing off the excess soil from the plants, she placed the gorgeous posy inside and placed it against the windowsill. Wendy stood back, with her hands on her hips, admiring her quick work. She did have to admit that the setup _did_ bring a little bit of color to the dank tourist trap.

Afterwards, Wendy started to clean up for the night. As she wiped down the counter, she spotted Dipper's pile of belongings out of the corner of her eye. She noted the various items: bubble gum, a few loose coins, and even some lint; nothing out of the ordinary for the inventory of your average twelve year old boy.

As Wendy moved closer to the edge of the counter, her hand bumped against a pointed object. She looked to see that something huge was sticking out from beneath the mound. Letting her curiosity get the best of her, she wiped away the smaller articles to see what had prodded her.

A worn out brown journal was hidden away in the heap. Several tears, rips, and stains decorated the front hardbound cover. The oddest thing that caught Wendy's attention was that it was marked with a golden insignia of a six-digit golden hand, ceremoniously labeled with a simple "3."

Having her anxious side take advantage of her yet again, Wendy placed her own hand against the marking. Suddenly, she felt great warmth coming from the faded cover, making her jump back in shock. The logo seemed to shine brightly at the befuddled ginger.

"_What is this thing_?" she questioned. "_And more importantly, what is Dipper doing with it_?"

Suddenly, another memory popped into the back of her mind. It was only a few weeks ago, when Wendy and her friends were trapped inside the haunted Dusk2Dawn convenience store, being picked off one by one by two angry ghosts, that Dipper referred to a similar-looking book to seek advice on how to free themselves from the deadly trap.

"_Was this tome one and the same_?"

Flashes of images of Dipper carrying around the journal bounced around her mind. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that she couldn't remember a time in which the lad _didn't_ have it in his possession. It seemed to be his constant companion when he went on his various adventures involving the paranormal (or so he claimed…)

For this, an idea commenced to form in Wendy's sub-consciousness:

"What if the book can help me…_with my problem_?"

Wendy reached over to open the volume, only to stop herself halfway.

"This isn't right," she reminded herself. "That poor kid is trying his best to cheer me up, and I'm going to repay him by _invading his privacy_?"

However, Dipper's earnest promise came flowing back, making her rethink her position:

_" If there was a way to do so, I would do anything to help you; I swear it!"_

"So, if you think about it," Wendy convinced herself. "He kinda did give me permission beforehand, _and_ there is a chance the journal can help me out!" Taking a deep breath, Wendy swiftly threw open the book.

As the fifteen-year-old started to explore the mysterious works, her mind was blown away by its mystifying content. She marveled at the various artifacts and creatures that the author claimed to be hidden away in the depths of her small mountain town.

"Oh, man!" Wendy exclaimed, speed-reading through the messily-written texts (which she didn't recognize as belonging to her young companion). "No wonder Dipper's always so paranoid!" Upon once more remembering her own ghostly encounter, a horrific contemplation shortly plagued her:

_"What if the book is actually telling the truth about these things? What if Dipper hides what he really finds out there from the rest of the world?"_

Wendy let out a gasp when at long last, she came across a passage that could possibly aid in her quest. A crudely-drawn sketch of a swirling portal filled up the entire left side of the page. Her eyes flew to the opposite end, noting the accompanying text:

_"It is indeed possible to make contact with those whom have crossed over to the other side. In places where there are reported hauntings, there lies a great possibility of opening up a portal to the netherworld. By reciting the following chant, a passageway will appear, allowing for a reunion of lost friends and family:"_

The last sentence severely tugged at Wendy's heartstrings, giving the crushed teen the glimmer of hope that she was desperately searching for. She looked back to the door to which Dipper had disappeared behind a few moments ago. She could still hear the twins still struggling to free their 'grunkle' from his self-imposed prison. It would be a while before Dipper came back.

Biting her lip in regret, Wendy swooped up the #3 journal and tucked it under her arm. She stood on her tip-toes and reached for the set of keys hanging from a hook mounted into the back wall. As Wendy carefully opened the back door, making sure not to hit the small bell hanging overhead, she took one last look at the household that welcomed her into their own. She felt terrible for the actions she was about to partake in, but at the same time, when would she ever get this chance again?

Making sure the door was locked behind her, Wendy crept out to the side of the Mystery Shack and seen the rows of "Mystery Carts" lined up perfectly. She silently opened the door and put on her seatbelt, choosing to take this safer form of transportation in lieu of her bike. Wendy turned the keys in the ignition and sped away towards the woods. She recalled the advice of Dipper's book, of how a gateway can be opened at a previously-haunted place.

"Hmm…" the young girl mumbled to herself. "I think I know just the place…"

* * *

A few minutes later, Dipper Pines came walking through the swinging door, with his eyes closed and brushing the dust from his hands.

"Well, now that's done," he said with a sense of content. "We…"

He opened his eyes to see that the gift shop was now complete empty? Had Wendy gone home already? Dipper exhaled in disappointment, reflecting on what essentially could have been his very first kiss from a girl (whom wasn't Mabel or his mom). He turned his head towards the exit to see that the flowers that he had hastily picked for his heartbroken crush had been cleaned up and placed next to the window for the world to see in a makeshift plastic vase. Dipper gave off a tooth filled grin at the sight. His efforts _were_ truly appreciated and not in vain! He went over to the counter to retrieve his possessions, only to cry out in alarm at the sight before him.

His journal was missing from its resting place!

Dipper immediately ran behind the structure and dropped to his knees in search of the priceless novel. Stammering in worry, he explored every nook and cranny of the counter, desperate to find the third journal. After a few minutes of searching without any answer, he attempted to calm himself by thinking rationally.

"Okay, Okay...it couldn't have been Mabel or Stan. They were with me for the last half-hour. Soos is off for the day, so it wasn't him…" Dipper's thoughts went to the other end of the spectrum, coming up with the worst possible scenario.

"What if," he imagined. "What if Gideon broke into the Shack, trying to find Grunkle Stan's deed, and came across the journal?" He grabbed the sides of his head in despair, "We're all doomed!"

Dipper went over to the back door. He remembered that the tiny bell attached to the door didn't go off. The portly false psychic was way too plump to slither into the building without triggering it. He reached for the doorknob to see that someone had locked it from the inside. "It is after hours." Dipper told himself. "Wendy must have …"

The young detective froze in his tracks upon the mention of his secret love's name. He shook his head in disapproval, "Nah, she couldn't…" However, the more he thought about today's events, the more things started to make sense.

"She wouldn't…"

Dipper threw the door and ran around to the other side of the cabin. Wendy's bike was lying against the ground instead of safety being chained up to prevent some degenerate from riding away with it.

"But if her bike is still here, where is she?" the boy worried. "Wendy wouldn't go through the woods on foot if she didn't have to…" Abruptly, he noticed fresh tire marks in the soft dirt at his feet. Dipper raised his head, following the trail to see that one of his great-uncle's Mystery Carts was missing!

"Why would Wendy take a cart instead of her bike?" the tween pondered. "Heck, the only time we use them is when we're planning on going long dist-"

Dipper cut himself off as a theory entered his mind. All the pieces simply added up. If he was correct, however, he had to hurry.

"MABEL!" he screamed, running back into the Shack. "MABEL! COME QUICK! I NEED YOUR HELP!"

Seconds later, the elder Pines twin appeared before her brother, whom was panting breathlessly in front of her. "What's the hey-hey, broseph?" she asked.

Dipper tried his best to spit out an explanation:

"Mabel…we need…go…*COUGH* Wendy…book…her mom…*GASP* …in trouble!"

"DIPPER!" the girl grabbed her brother by the shoulders and shook him, making him cry out. "Dipper, you need to calm down!" After a few seconds, the boy regained his breath and nerves. "Now," Mabel continued. "What's the matter?"

Dipper started to elucidate. "I think Wendy stole the journal in order to see her mom again!"

Mabel was lost by his words, "And…why's that a bad thing?"

He attempted to clarify his worries, "You see, Mabel…" Dipper took a moment to try to find the best words to explain the situation without sounding ignorant. "…Wendy's mom isn't among _us_ anymore…if you catch my drift…"

"Oh…" Mabel said, not understanding Dipper's intention at first. After a few seconds, her eyes widened, making her respond with a longer "Ohhhh…"

Dipper nodded at his sister's reaction, "Yeah; that's the thing…"

"But, Dipper," Mabel went on. "I still don't understand what's so terrible if Wendy sees her mom one more time."

Dipper raised his hands in exasperation. "It's not that it's _terrible_, Mabel. It's _unsafe_! If Wendy is using the spell that I'm thinking of, she's planning to open a portal to the ghost world.

"Ok…"

He explicated further, "Wendy will open this thing, expecting her mom to come out, but at the same time, it is an open doorway, meaning any ghost, ghoul, or monster on the other side is free to use it as well!"

"Oh, no!"

"Exactly, Mabel! _Wendy is in serious danger, and she's doesn't even know it!"_

* * *

"Man, I thought I'd never have to see this place again…"

The redhead followed the path leading into the abandoned Dusk2Dawn convenience store. As the young teen crossed over the entrance, the metal gate slowly blew itself shut. Wendy couldn't tell if it was the wind playing tricks on her mind, but she could have swore that she heard a *CLICK* come from behind her. Despite being on edge, Wendy drove on, knowing that her goal was only moments away!

After parking the Mystery Cart, Wendy stepped into the darken store, the only light available was that provided by the moon shining outside. Her eyes speedily wandered, noting the mess of scattered food, broken glass, and even mangled machinery decorating the tiled floor. Wendy shuddered as she remembered how the untidiness was created; a few weeks earlier, Wendy and her friends had snuck into the empty store, inciting the wrath of the decreased owners. As the teens were slowly placed in deadly, inescapable perils, Dipper rose to the occasion and saved everyone in a brave, yet embarrassingly adorable fashion.

The image of her young, loyal admirer made Wendy depressed. "Dipper…" she sighed sadly, recalling her betrayal. She forced the negative thoughts from her mind. "No, no…" Wendy convinced herself. "_He_ would want me to do this. _He_ wants me to be happy…"

Finding a cleared spot on the floor, Wendy sat down, and opened up Dipper's journal, recalling the passage that she had previously bookmarked. Taking a deep breath, the eager girl aired, "Well, here goes nothing!"

She looked below the description to see numerous lines of text written in an unknown language. Using her finger as a guide, Wendy tried her best to properly pronounce the foreign tongue. After finished, the out-of-breath teen looked around excitedly to see if anything had changed.

The room remained exactly the same.

"Hmph!" Wendy stood up, disappointed by the result. "What a gyp!" She had probably completely ruined any or all trust Dipper had in her, and for what? Absolutely nothing! In anger, she kicked the book lying on the floor. As she turned to leave, Wendy started to hear something rumbling lightly.

Dipper's book was vibrating on the floor!

Instantaneously, Wendy dropped down to her knees and watched as the text bounced, jumped, and flapped its pages on its own! After a few seconds, the journal flew into the air, surrounded by a blue column of light. Wendy shielded her eyes, trying her best to see what was happening.

The wall adjacent to the alarmed teen began to glow the same aura of blue. Wendy's mouth gaped open as the structure became an infinite swirl!

"It's…" she gasped. "It's making the same pattern as in Dipper's journal!"

Surprisingly, a faint form came floating out of the portal. Wendy's smile grew as she hopped back to her feet. She leaned forward, trying to make out the image.

"M-M-Mama?" she called out with hope in her heart.

The blot seemed to split into two at the sound of Wendy's voice. The hairs on the back of Wendy's neck stood up as it answered her back!

"Well, well, well! Look at who we have here!"

"You would think that she would have heeded her friend's advice about not coming back!"

As the figures took shape, Wendy's smile was wiped away, as she turned a pale white. She looked up in horror as the ghostly figures of Ma and Pa, the owners of the Dusk2Dawn, angrily glared down at her.

"Oh…oh no!" she groaned. "Not you two!" Without thinking, Wendy took off running towards the open doors. A split second before reaching the exit, the doors shut firmly in her face. The distraught redhead struggled with the door handles, only to find that they were locked! A sickly feeling rose up in Wendy's stomach as a feeling of déjà vu came over her.

"Don't leave just yet!" Pa mocked. "After all, you came all this way…"

"Please let me go!" Wendy beseeched the ghosts. "I didn't mean-"

"Do you hear that, Pa?" Ma asked her mate. "'She didn't mean-'Just like how "freckle-face" and her friends "didn't mean" to trash our humble abode!"

Wendy stepped forward, trying to plead her case, "I'm sorry about that, but you guys don't understand! All I was trying to do was-"

"Enough excuses!" both ghosts raved, their blue aura flashing a bright red. "That's all you teenagers can offer society! Well, we'll happily remove _one_ blight on the world soon enough!"

Something began to tap loudly behind Wendy. She turned around to see that the fire hose locked behind the "In Case of Fire" sign had come alive! After a few more taps, the green pipe broke through the glass with an echoing shatter, and shot out towards the unsuspecting teenager.

"AHHH!" Wendy shrieked as the cord wrapped around her legs, forcing her to her knees. She cried out as it continued upwards, pinning her arms firmly against her sides. Left completely bound and helpless, Wendy tried to reach out to her captors:

"Please!" she begged. "Please don't do this! I just wanted my mo-"

Wendy's cries were cut off as she felt herself being gagged. Her appeals came out as muffled "MMPPHHHs!" She could only look up with pleading eyes, as she was left unaware what ghastly fate the two ghosts had planned for her.

"Thank you, Pa!" Ma thanked her husband. "I couldn't take anymore of her sniveling!"

"Happy to oblige!" The man gave off a demonic smile. His attention returned back to Wendy, left stranded on the cold, damp floor. "And now, my dear, what are we ever going to do with you?"

Wendy's emerald eyes widen in horror as the ghosts hovered closer and closer to her.

"By the way, dearie…you wouldn't happen to know any funny dances, would you?"


	3. Chapter 3

"FASTER, MABEL! WE HAVE TO GO FASTER!"

The elder Pines twin shooed away her slightly younger brother, "DIPPER! Knock it off! You're going to make me crash!"

Defeated, the boy shrank back into his seat, "Sorry! Sorry!" Quietly, he brought his knees up to his chest and lowered his head onto them while glancing depressingly down at the floor.

Mabel could only sigh as she peeked a small glimpse at her brother's state. Here she was, driving through the Gravity Falls Forest on one of her 'Grunkle's' shoddy Mystery Carts, at the worst possible time; _at night_! Still, she just had to help out Dipper in his plight (as he was in no condition to drive), no matter how much she resented the current situation.

Part of the tiny girl was still taken aback by the actions of her friend (and Dipper's secret crush) Wendy. Was Dipper's theory correct? Had she actually stole Dipper's secret journal in hopes of contacting her mother from beyond the grave? While Mabel could easily sympathize with her heartbroken pal's plight, she just couldn't overlook the fact that Wendy had resorted to _thievery_ to obtain her goal, especially from the one person who practically worshipped the ground she walked on.

With her eyes firmly on the road, Mabel saw out of the corner of her eye that her brother was quivering with a rush of over anxiousness. Disgusted, she shook her head and let out another sigh, thinking to herself about which of Dipper's loves had actually caused him the most trouble during their stay in Gravity Falls: that stupid book or his lanky gingered main squeeze?

Moments later, Mabel drove up the path leading to the abandoned Dusk2Dawn convenience store. For some reason, her memories of the place were somewhat blurry, outside of eating expired ice cream and playing an arcade game or two. Wendy and Dipper had tried to explain that ghosts had attacked their small assembly, and even more so, _possessed her_ to do their evil bidding. The spunky lass laughed at their claims, stating "Wouldn't I have remembered something like _that_?"

With a sudden burst of energy, Dipper unbuckled his seatbelt and leapt from the cart before it came to a complete stop. As he ran up the dusty trail, Mabel called out, "Dipper, WAIT! How do you even know for sure that she's here?"

While running forward, he turned back to his doubtful sister, "It has to be! Where else was there a confirmed haunting in this town?!"

"Dipper! Watch out!"

The boy turned around to run face first into a chain-linked fence. Dipper fell roughly with a moan, only to quickly rise again to his feet. He looked to see that the gate leading into the store had been closed. Clutching with both hands, the pre-teen shook the gateway, discovering out that it would not budge an inch.

"Locked…" Dipper mumbled to himself. He couldn't remember if the path was left open the last time he was there. Didn't the ghosts release all of the sealed exits after their departure? However, his spirits rose upon seeing a familiar sight on the other side.

"MABEL!" he shouted. As his twin finally caught up, Dipper excitedly pointed at his discovery.

A Mystery Cart was parked to the side of the building.

"Wendy's gotta be inside!" he exclaimed with great excitement. Without thinking, he leapt into the linked fence, and bravely started to scale upwards.

Suddenly, he felt something yank him back. Dipper turned around to see that Mabel was pulling on his navy blue vest.

"Wait a sec-"

He responded in a snarky tone, somewhat annoyed in having his rescue attempt interrupted, "What?! What is it?!"

With her free hand, Mabel simply pointed upwards as a huge frown overcame her face. Dipper followed his twin's direction, only to gasp at her discovery.

A row of razor-sharp barbed wire completely surrounded the top of the fence! Unlike their last visit (in which Dipper was tossed over the side of the fence), there was no safe passage into the lot leading to the once-haunted convenience store. A shade of guilt entered the back of the boy's mind over yelling at his sister upon comprehending that she had just saved him from hopping into an extraordinary painful surprise.

"_Who laid this trap here_?" Dipper asked himself. "_Was someone (or something) expecting us to follow Wendy_?" He gulped in nervousness as he came to a horrifying realization:

"_What if this thing is trying to keep me…keep us away from her_?" His thoughts quickly formed around the image of the two ghostly shopkeepers that plagued the last visit to the Dusk2Dawn. Could they be behind these recent changes?

All of a sudden, a shriek echoed throughout the quiet atmosphere, shattering his concentration. Both Pines twins glanced forward to see that strange lights started to flash repeatedly and wildly throughout the entire complex!

As the two tweens were left on the outside looking in, Mabel asked, "What do we do now?"

Dipper simply glimpsed down sadly at his older sister, unable to come up with a suitable answer. He could only lean his head forward as he desperately theorized a way to reach his secret crush.

"Wendy…"

* * *

Wendy Corduroy felt her heart race faster and faster with every inch her ghostly captors came closer. Bound and gagged by a sentient fire hose, the redhead was completely defenseless to whatever supernatural misery that the married ghosts had designed for her.

"I don't understand…" she thought to herself. "Why didn't it work? Why are _they_ here?"

Dipper's journal, left wide open at her knees, began to turn to the next page, as if her question was mystically answered. Her eyes shot away from her subjugators and upon the newly-revealed passage:

_"Beware to those who dare employ the aforementioned incantation, for the risks that come with usage are great indeed. The doorway is opened on both sides, without any way to restrict who or what exactly comes through. Practitioners must be on guard and well alert in case great evil manages to find its way past the barrier…"_

Wendy narrowed her eyes at the book beneath her, as her contempt for the accursed text grew with every fleeting moment.

"_This is because I kicked you, isn't it_?"

The bound teen struggled against the taut cord holding her prisoner to no prevail. She was wrapped up too tightly for any hope of escape! As the ghosts, each with exposed fangs and claws, were mere inches away from her dimpled face, Wendy shut her eyes and prepared herself for the end. She could feel incredible frost emitting from the specters' forms.

Out of the darkness, the frightened girl felt a strange sensation come upon her. Even with her eyes clamped, Wendy could sense a shining coming from the direction of the still-open portal. Seconds later, she was blinded by the upcoming essence. A booming voice shook the scattered store:

"LEAVE THAT CHILD BE, OR ELSE, FACE THE CONSQUENCES!"

Pa turned around to challenge the interloper, "Who dares…" Immediately, he was silenced by the sight before him. He lowered himself to his wife with a hint of worry in his voice,

"It's like…It's like…nothing I've ever encountered! Its strength is at least, three times that of ours put together!"

Once more, the deep voice commanded, "WILL YOU YIELD?"

Ma, finding the courage to finally speak out, protested, "But…But she needs to be taught a lesson! Spoiled, rotten children like _her_ must be disciplined…"

"NOT BY THE LIKES OF YOU! I'LL ASK ONE LAST TIME; LEAVE THE CHILD…TO ME!"

Disappointed and utterly defeated, the elderly ghost pair simply vaporized into the musky atmosphere, mumbling and groaning under their breath. With eyelids still closed, deathly afraid to observe the events that had just transpired, Wendy soon experienced inconceivable warmth as the being came closer. She trembled in fright, as her mind raced about this new monstrosity that had claimed sovereignty over her.

Goosebumps swiftly formed over Wendy's freckled flesh as she awaited the final fatal blow. Instead, she gasped into her gag as a hand was gently placed against her redden cheek.

Opening her eyes, she looked up to see an angelic woman standing over her. She was dressed from head to toe in luxurious white clothing. Her long, dark red hair flowed freely, as if it was defying gravity itself. Her sparkling emerald eyes shone towards the trapped teenager on the floor. Her freckled, yet thin face became instantly familiar to Wendy.

"Oh, my dear Gwendolyn…" the figure smiled at her. "What kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into this time?"

"Huh?!"

There was only one person who would dare call her by her legally-given name! Stunned by the new visitor before her, Wendy used the last of her strength to force out one last muffled cry:

"Mom?"

* * *

"Let me go, Mabel! I know I can make it through!"

"There's no way, Dipper! Those blades will tear you to shreds! Please don't do it!"

Dipper had once again attempted to climb over the fence leading into the Dusk2Dawn store, choosing to risk coming into contact with the sharpened razor spikes conveniently placed at the top. His twin sister, Mabel, clutched the back of his vest to prevent the overbearing boy from purposely injuring himself.

"I _have_ to, Mabel!" he argued. "I _have_ to save Wendy! She needs _me_!"

"The last thing she needs is for you to hurt yourself! What good is that going to do for her?"

He pulled against the tight grip holding him at bay, "I don't care! She would do the same for me!"

Mabel sighed quietly to herself, "You don't know that…"

"What did you say?!"

"Nothing! I said nothing!"

Dipper grunted, trying with all his might to break away, "Mabel! Let go of my vest, RIGHT NOW!"

Struck by serendipity, Dipper leapt from the fence, as he repeated over and over, "My vest…"

Mabel looked at her brother's odd actions with widen eyes, "What are you doing now?!"

The young detective removed his trademark navy blue vest, and flung it over the top of the fence. The cloth snagged on the blades, covering a small portion.

"I'm hoping this will work…"

With renewed strength, Dipper flew up the chain-link fence, and used his discarded clothing as a barrier to overcome the obstacle preventing him from being with his secret sweetheart. He cheered as he flipped over the other side. With a smirk on his face, Dipper reached over and extended his hand towards his sister, who stood at the ground with her arms crossed in a doubting fashion. The young girl simply rolled her eyes, and after a moment, climbed the fence and accepted the helping hand.

Mabel hopped from the fence, landing safely on the grassy area below her. Dipper looked down at the reasonable distance, and gulped, feeling the sudden effects of vertigo. As his bravery slowly slipped away, his thoughts started to wander.

"Oh, man…" Dipper bemoaned to himself. "This is what happened the first time…" However, Wendy's friend, Nate wasn't there to simply fling him to the ground as with his last visit.

Mabel cupped her hands in an attempt to encourage her brother, "C'mon, Dipper! You can do it!"

Dipper looked away from the gate towards the ground. Instead of seeing his metal-mouthed sister shouting up at him, Wendy stood in her place, her glowing green eyes seemingly pleading with him. The ginger wore a huge, worrisome frown across her face.

"C'mon, Dipper!" the teenager entreated. "You can do it! I know you can!" Her grimace deepened. "_I need you to_…"

The disillusioned pre-teen shook his head, trying to make sense of the scene before him. As he turned once again, Mabel resumed her original spot on the ground, staring up in silence with a raised eyebrow at her sibling's peculiar actions.

"What was that?" Dipper asked himself. "Was it some sort of sign? Or were the store's ghostly influences messing with me?" Without a second thought, he let out of his tight grip on the fence, landing hard on one knee. Mabel ran up to her cringing brother, "Now, that wasn't so hard, was it?" She helped him back to his feet. "Let's get going!"

The Pines twins ran up to the entrance of the Dusk2Dawn. Strangely enough, every door and window had become completely fogged, preventing anyone from looking inside of the convenience store. Dipper attempted to open the front doors, only to discover that they were firmly sealed. In a panic, he began to bang on the covered windows with his fists.

"WENDY?!" he called out. "WENDY?! CAN YOU HEAR ME?! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!" His uneasiness increased with every second without any response from his crush. Determined, he ran past his sister, motioning her to follow,

"This way! We'll go in through the vents on the roof! *HUFF* Just like last time!"

As Dipper hustled to the side of the store, his heart dropped once more. The pile of garbage cans that allowed him to reach the rooftop had been removed!

"Oh no! What am I going to do now?!"

He felt Mabel press down on his shoulder, "Bend down…"

"WHAT?!"

"Just do it, Dipper!"

As Dipper knelt down, he groaned as Mabel jumped onto his back. With knees quaking, the young boy stood up with his twin perched on his shoulder.

"I know I can reach the top! After all, I am the taller, _alpha_ twin!" She gave him a love-tap. "I need you to lift me higher, Dipper! I'm almost there!"

Struggling with all his might, Dipper choked up a response, "I…I don't think…this is a good…"

With a hint of annoyance in her voice, Mabel cut him off, "Do you want to save _her_ or not?" She nudged him once more with her heels, "Higher, Dipper! Bend with your knees! Get on your tip-toes!"

Closing his eyes, Dipper pushed upwards as much as his small frame could. Seconds later, he felt Mabel rise up past him, the small girl stepping down roughly on his capped head as she ascended upwards.

Dipper looked up to see Mabel kneeling over the edge, reaching out for him with her stubby hands. He backed away, only to take off dashing towards the wall. At the last second, Dipper leaped and snatched his sister's extended limbs. With a series of groans, Mabel successfully pulled her twin up the side of the building. Exhausted, both children rested, lying down on the rooftop, panting and worn out.

"Man, Dipper…" the girl complained. "You…You might want to cut back on the snacks…or maybe, go for more walks in the woods, or something…"

"Thanks, Mabel…"

After a moment to rest, Dipper helped Mabel up. Both twins walked over to the exposed vent. Dipper noted that the dented vent cover that he punched off earlier that summer was still on the side.

"Cool!" Mabel exclaimed. "I've never snuck into a building through a vent before!" Her smile widen greatly. "We'll be like international secret agent spies!"

Dipper rolled his eyes at his sister's excitement, preparing himself to enter the dark shaft once more. "Trust me, Mabel," he downplayed. "It's not as fun as it seems…"

* * *

Still awe-struck, Wendy couldn't take her eyes off of the virtuous figure before her. Had she finally done it? Was this phantom before her really her long-lost mother or merely another cruel trick the haunted business played upon her?

The red-headed specter took a step back, and with a gleam in her eyes, snapped her fingers. Instantly, Wendy felt her restraints slack and loosen. The shaken teen shot up to her feet. Wendy carefully overstepped the coiled hose that previously held her captive. Without saying a word, the girl slowly circled around the woman before her, making sure to note anything off about her appearance, relying only on faded memories to help guide her.

The woman smiled deeply at Wendy, making sure to noiselessly follow along with the curious girl's movement. After turning completely around, Wendy stood face-to-face with her rescuer.

"It's _you_…" she questioned. "It's really you, isn't it?"

The apparition simply nodded in response.

Tears filled Wendy's green eyes. She took off towards her mother with her arms wide open.

"Oh, Mom!"

The woman held her hands up in warning, "Wait-"

In an attempt to embrace her mom, Wendy dove through the transparent image, crashing painfully into the counter behind her.

"OWW!" Wendy moaned, rubbing her head in agony. She glared up at her mother, who now sported an embarrassed expression.

"I'm so sorry, dearest," she apologized. "You caught me off-guard." She walked over to her fallen daughter. "It takes a bit of effort and concentration to become tangible in the physical world. It's the same way that elderly couple are able to haunt the mortal realm." Wendy's mom offered a helping hand. "Here, try now…"

After a split second of hesitation, Wendy reached up and met her mother's hand.

"Wow," Wendy thought to herself. "Her hand is so warm! It's almost like she was still al-"She forced herself to stop the thought, for it made her want to cry again.

Wendy quickly grasped the ghost, making sure to savor every single moment with her mom. She shuddered as she sensed a pair of warm arms enclose around her. Warm tears streamed from her emerald eyes, falling past her cheeks, and right through the translucent woman holding her.

"You…You don't know…" she sobbed on her mother's shoulder. "…how much I needed _this_; how much I wanted _this_; how much I missed _this_…"

"Oh, I missed you, too, sweetheart," Wendy's mom squeezed her harder. "And I know about the things you've done to bring me here…"

Wendy's eyes broaden as she pulled back to face the music, "You mean…you've seen…" Her face reddened at her mother's claim. "You've seen all of the terrible things I've done, haven't you?" Ashamed and reminded of her betrayal to Dipper, she turned her head away from the light.

Her mother reached out and raised Wendy's chin, "We _all_ do terrible things, Gwendolyn, but at the same time, I have also witnessed all of the great things you have done as well. " She gave her child an encouraging smile, "I am proud of the person that you have grown to be!"

"Really?!" Wendy quickly raised an eyebrow, "Hold on; you're always watching, like every second, every minute, every hour?"

"Nah. That would be too creepy, even for me." she explained. "Think less like Santa Claus, and more like a guardian angel-type of deal. I'm there for all of the important things, or just when you, your dad, or the boys really need me. Just like what happened with you a few minutes ago…"

Her mother's comment made Wendy rethink all of the good luck she had during her legendary "close calls" with fate. It also reminded her that she didn't thank her mom for the impromptu rescue.

"You know…" Wendy started, showing off a sheepish grin. "…I could have easily got out of that by myself.

She was gently poked on her button-nose for her sarcastic answer, "Sure you could've, pumpkin; sure you could've…"

Both females shared a hearty laugh at the pure absurdity. Abruptly, the portal behind the two began to omit a deafening *WHIRRRL* sound, as it started to grow in size. Its blue light completely overcame the dankness of the storefront.

"What's happening?!" Wendy screamed over the noise.

Wendy's mother held her child's face, "I'm so sorry, my darling, but it's time to go. I'm being called back.

"No! You can't go! Not yet! I mean, you just got here…" Wendy promptly became mawkish once more with the distressing news.

"Hey, now…" her mom attempted to comfort her distraught girl as she wiped away the tears. "This isn't good-bye-forever, just see-ya-later..." She raised Wendy's head, "Just remember that I am always with you, no matter what!"

"I know…"

After a moment of silent weeping, Wendy spontaneously looked up with a brave smirk, as if she was struck by lightning. Her mom became delighted by her positive response.

"Are you going to be all right, Gwendolyn?"

Wendy nodded, "Yeah, Mom. I'll be okay…"

"I'm so relieved to hear that-"

"…because I've come to a decision."

The concerned parent gave a quizzed look, "About what?"

Wendy gripped her mother as tight as she could.

"I've decided…I'm going _with you_!"

"What are you talking-"

Without a moment's notice, Wendy threw her entire weight against her mom, hurling both of them into the enlarged portal. As she faded into the next world, Wendy could have sworn that she heard someone scream her name…

* * *

Mabel called out to her brother," Dipper, are you sure we're going the right way? I could have sworn we passed that sleeping rat three times already!"

*HUFF PUFF* "We're also there, Mabel! And I'm pretty sure that rat isn't "sleeping…"

"Eww…"

His sister reached out and tugged on his ankle as Dipper crawled deeper into the narrow passage,. He turned around to see her light-hearted, braced mouth.

"'Now I know what a TV dinner feels like!' HAHA! Get it, Dipper? We're like in that one movie…"

"MABEL!" Dipper chastised. "We don't have time to-"The boy interrupted himself as he came across a chute leading downwards. He glanced down to see that an eerie blue light seemed to rising from the floor behind them.

"I think this is our stop!" As Dipper started to position himself for the descent, he offered his twin some advice, "Use your hands and feet to slide down slowly. Be careful because there is a bit of a drop at the end." Mabel nodded and waited as Dipper gently slid against the edge of the shaft.

"Easy…easy…" he guided himself as he fell at a turtle's pace. His concentration and rhythm was quickly shattered by a shout from above.

"LOOK OUT BELOW!"

Dipper looked up to see a pink and brown blur flying towards him. Without any way of avoiding the obstacle, the pre-teen could do nothing but scream. He was plunged fast and hard onto the cold tiled floor of the Dusk2Dawn.

"Ohh! My back!"

Dipper looked up to see that had just happened. Mabel was positioned right on top of him. She leaned over and offered a tiny wave.

"Sorry, Dip; I kinda of slipped. Oh, hey, that rhymes!"

As if it wasn't bad enough that he had fallen from such a dangerous height, luck would have it that he became the landing cushion for his sister as well!

As he lowered his head in agony, a shining blue light sparked from the corner of his eye. He twisted his neck and gasped at the sight before him.

His crush, Wendy Corduroy, was standing in front of a gaping blue portal! As funny as it sounded, it looked like she was cuddling _something that wasn't there_! The vortex swirled more frequently as a whooshing sound echoed throughout the tiny store.

He struggled to find his voice. Dipper was only able to cough out a small gasp, "Wendy…"

The ginger continued to stand with her back to him, totally unaware of the presence of her friend.

Determined, Dipper struggled to regain his strength. He wiggled out from beneath Mabel, and staggered to his feet. "Wait…"

As the child limped closer, he watched as Wendy was apparently pulled into the vortex!

"WENDY! NO!"

A bright light blinded Dipper, making him shield his eyes from the flash with his arms. As they slowly faded away, he peeked out from cover.

His lanky, secret love had vanished into thin air. He watched in horror as Wendy's brown trapper hat, the last remnant of her on the earthly plane, fell down from the sky, landing right upon of his journal marked with #3.

Dipper slumped down to his knees, his vision focused on the two objects laid out before him.

"No…No! No! No! No! No!" The devastated tween shook his head in defiance, unable to accept what had just happened before his very eyes.

Mabel slowly approached from behind, "We…We were too late…"

Dipper reached for the journal, noticing that the page it had been left ajar to was the one warning of the dangers of this particular ritual. His rage only grew at the cruel irony.

"The book…" he mumbled to himself, as his hands shook involuntarily. "This stupid book…HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT TROUBLE SINCE THE DAY I FOUND IT!" With an energetic burst, he threw the tome with all of his might against the closest glass door, instantly reducing it to slivers!

His twin sister jumped back at Dipper's angry outburst in shock. Never before had she seen him treat the mysterious tome so roughly. The girl could even recall several times when she had caught him cradling the journal _in bed_! This action made the girl rethink her position on _just_ how important Wendy truly was to her slightly younger brother.

"Dipper," she bravely came closer to the enraged boy, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Dipper, I'm so sorr-"

"DON"T!" he shrugged off her comfort. Dipper lowered his head as he continued to stare at the hat before him. Mabel wasn't sure, but she could have sworn to hear the sounds of light sobs and sniffles.

"Just don't…"

* * *

"Gwendolyn, please! You need to let me go! You don't know what you're doing!"

"I won't do it! Please, Mom; can't I just stay with you? Please?!"

Wendy continued to cling tightly to her mother's physical form. She looked around to see a variety of indescribable colors fly pass her at an alarming rate! Even though it seemed like she was standing still, Wendy felt as if her essence was ascending to a higher plane!

"Honey, I love you with all my heart, but you're making a grave mistake!" Wendy's mom warned. "You need to stop yourself before it's too late!"

The teen shed tears again in response to her mother's somewhat callous attitude, "But…_But I need you_, Mom! I need you to be here with me! When you're here, I don't feel scared, or lonely, or hopeless! Why is that so much to ask?! Other kids get to keep their moms; why can't I?!"

"I know, Gwendolyn…" Wendy looked to see that her mother started to get teary-eyed as well. "…but it's not that simple. If I could stay, I would; I swear it! And if I could take you with me, I'd do that as well."

Wendy's mom was able to wrestle a hand away to caress her daughter's wet face, "But you have to understand this: if you continue onwards with me, you will have your life stripped away from you! You'll never have the chance to experience growing up, or finding someone to be with for the rest of your days, or even the joy of having children, like I have." Her warming smile only grew, "Besides, my dear, don't you realize that there are people who love and cherish you back home who would be lost without you?"

Instead of feeling comforted, Wendy grew angry, "What are you talking about, Mama? What kind of life do you think waits for me? Barely managing through high school? Working at the Mystery Shack forever? Or being stuck in that rut of a town for the rest of my life?! No thanks!"

The freckled teen rolled her eyes in disbelief, "And besides, there isn't anyone who would care if I left with you…"

"Oh, really?" her mother challenged. "What about your father and brothers?"

Wendy scoffed at the suggestion, "Yeah, right! They'd miss having a cook and maid to kick around! And the other half of the time, they totally forget I'm even there!"

Her mother frowned at Wendy's negativity, "Even though your father is a…complicated man, he is a good man, and I know that he loves you, and would be heartbroken if anything happened to you. As for your brothers, yes, they're wild and rambunctious, but as time passes, they will grow to appreciate all of the good things you have done for them, just as you have for me."

"Hmmph!"

"Alright, then. What would your friends do without you? "

Even though Wendy's mood lightened at the mention, her demeanor remained solid. "So they're my friends? Of course I'll miss them, but as soon as we graduate, we'll grow up, and go our separate ways." Her face lowered even more, "That's all I need: to lose more important people in my life! If anything, I'm beating fate to the punch!"

The angelic woman's face contorted at Wendy's reasoning. However, she still had one more ace up her sleeve.

"Ok, but before we arrive, I just have to know: what is going to happen to poor Dipper?"

The name mentioned caught the plucky redhead off-guard, "Dipper?! How do you even know who-" She took a second to collect herself, "I mean, what about Dipper?"

"Well, isn't he going to be totally distraught about your 'mysterious disappearance?'"

Wendy grew hushed as she thought about her mother's claim. "I'm not sure. I mean, I like Dipper. _A lot_. He's a great, little guy, but at the same time, I'm just some girl he met on summer vacation. A month after he goes home, I'm positive he'll forget all about me. There will be other girls sooner or later, and I'll only be a distant memory to him…"

"Don't be too sure," the ghost corrected. "People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime."

The girl became perplexed by her parent's sage advice, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Wendy's mom used her free hand to point out into the distance, "I think it's better to show you. Look to your right."

She turned to the side to see that an open window had appeared amongst the vivid colors raining down on her. Suddenly, the image of Dipper materialized on the screen. The boy was on his knees, at what appeared to be the Dusk2Dawn convenience store, crying his eyes out while clutching something large close to his chest. In the background, his twin sister Mabel stood with her hands together, as if she was trying to think of the right thing to say to comfort her sibling.

Wendy squinted in an effort to make out the object. Her eyes opened widely upon realization, "Hey, wait. Is that…?"

The item Dipper was wailing into was none other than Wendy's trapper hat! Deeply surprised, Wendy reached upon the crown of red hair on top her head to confirm it was really hers. She thought to herself, "I didn't even realize I had dropped it…" She continued watching as Mabel tried once more to console her brother.

"Dipper, it isn't your fault. Wendy chose to do this! Please listen to reason!"

The wounded boy lashed out in a half-sobbing tone, "How can you say that about her?! _I_ did this, Mabel! ME! It's my fault! _I_ found the journal! _I_ made Wendy upset about her mom! _I_ left the journal out for her to see! _I_ failed to save her in time!"

He turned around, displaying Wendy's treasured cap, "Look at it, Mabel! Look at what _I_ caused! Look at what _I_ made happen because of _that_ thing!" His lips quivered in utter agony, as his anger shifted back to pure sadness and despair.

Wendy turned back towards her mother, "I don't understand. Why does Dipper think he did this?"

Her mom quickly provided an answer, "Dipper was there when we entered the gateway. The thing is that he doesn't know you went willingly. He believes that you were taken by force, and he was unable to help you in time…"

"That's not what happened though-"

"Please keep watching, dearest…"

"But, Dipper…" Mabel asked. "Can't we use the book to open another doorway to look for Wendy?"

The boy gathered himself to give an explanation, "The netherworld is said to be the size of our entire universe, Mabel. We could search _forever_, and still not be able to find…to find-" Dipper couldn't even finish his sentence for it made him want to cry even harder.

"Dipper, I know it hurts now, but as time passes-"

"NO! That's not good enough!" He turned back around, and started to let everything pour out, "She believed I could do anything, and with her, I could. She saw me as more than a "stupid, little kid" when no one else would. Now, she'll never know how I really feel about…*SNIFF* …we'll never have another adventure together, or a simple day of sitting at her secret spot, watching the sun set. All those things are gone because of ME!"

Mabel could only watch as Dipper quickly returned to his sorrowful state, shuddering over his friend's heirloom.

"There can never be another one like _her_…another Wendy…" As Dipper returned his constant whimpering and blubbering, Mabel heard him make out the phrase, as if it was a form of prayer, "_I want_…_I need my Wendy back! Please?"_

Wendy forced herself away from the sight, as she started to feel sick to her stomach, "What have I done?!" She looked back at her mother, "I don't want Dipper to blame himself for something that I did!"

The specter squeezed harder on Wendy's shoulder, "The truth is, my dear, it's more complicated than that." She narrowed her eyes as she explained. "You see, in time, a great series of events will come upon our town of Gravity Falls, and that boy plays a great part in all of it."

"Dipper is going to do what? And how?"

"That's not important right now! What is is that he will be guided through those trials by those he holds near and dear to his heart." The spirit looked up with great pride at her child, "You, Gwendolyn, are one of, if not the most important of those guiding lights!"

"WHAT?!" Wendy looked back at her mother. "Mama, that's crazy! How can I guide Dipper, or yet alone anyone, through anything! You have seen me in everyday life, right? How can you think that?"

"But, Gwendolyn," she argued. "I have already seen such things. You bring out the best in that boy! You raise his confidence. You make him strive to be a better person. He wishes to be brave and strong, all because of you!"

Wendy blushed at her mother's words. Even if they were a little fabricated, it was kind of flattering to hear about everything Dipper tries to do for her benefit.

"At the same time, if things are left as they are, Dipper will be devoid of all those things. When the world needs him, he will be unable to fulfill his destiny. "

A million thoughts ran though the mind-blown teenager's consciousness, but the one that repeatedly kept popping up was Dipper's sadden plea, "_I need my Wendy…_" Did she really mean that much to the small pre-teen? Even more so, his words stung deeply, for it reminded Wendy of her own entreaties about her mother. Tears formed around her green eyes, only this time, it wasn't over her own pain.

"Mama…" she implored. "I don't know what to do…"

Her mother raised Wendy's head, "My sweet Gwendolyn. If I have one regret, it was that I was forced to leave you, your brothers, and your father at such an early age. However, I didn't have a choice in the matter. But you do! You have a chance to make things right!" The apparition lowered her eyes with great admiration. "So, what will you do?"

After a moment to think over her mother's words, Wendy came to a decision. She gave her parent one last deep hug, and slowly, but surely, started to release her death-grip on her mom's hand. The presence kissed her daughter's freckled forehead.

"Remember, my Gwendolyn," the ghost prided. "Your mother will love you forever, and always be proud of you!"

"Thank you, Mom!" Wendy exclaimed as she felt as if she was being pulled back down. "I love you, too!" Before they departed, she made one last request, "Hey, Mama? One last thing?"

"Anything, darling."

"It's "Wendy," Mom; just "Wendy…"

* * *

On the cold, almost frozen floor of the Dusk2Dawn, Dipper Pines sat in heartbroken misery, unable to cope over the failed rescue of his secret crush. All of a sudden, a bright light flashed throughout the darkened room.

Dipper immediately stood up, despite his lack of vision. After everything that had just happened, he was left totally unprepared for any other ghostly surprises.

Surprisingly, a pair of hands came out of nowhere and wrapped themselves around his small figure. At first, Dipper panicked at the sensation, but after a moment, he stopped, for something seemed awfully familiar.

He looked up as the fog began to clear itself from his eyes. As the form took shape, Dipper heard Mabel gasp loudly from behind him. A voice he desperately craved to hear called out,

"What's up, dweeb?"

Dipper rubbed his eyes to make sure they weren't playing tricks on him. He returned his glaze upwards as his soft brown eyes met the adorning emerald eyes of Wendy Corduroy. Kneeling down on one knee, her freckled, dimpled smile beamed down on the young boy, rejuvenating him instantly.

"WENDY!" Dipper exploded with energy, throwing his arms around her torso, and squeezing with every fiber of his being.

"Hey, easy there, champ…" the teenage girl laughed, as she kept her own tears in check.

He looked back up, somewhat in embarrassment, "Sorry, it's just…I thought…I mean…I saw…I…I didn't know what to think! I'm just happy you're back home!"

"I'm happy to be here with you, too, Dip!" Wendy looked at the wetness coming from the boy's eyes. She reached over and used a finger to wipe away a tear.

"Hey, what's this?" Wendy asked teasingly. "My "brave little hero" hasn't gone soft on me, has he?"

Dipper tried his best to hide his emotions, "Well, that's because…I fell earlier…err…what I mean to say is that…"

His façade was easily broken by staring up at Wendy's shining eyes yet again. Defeated, he lowered his head with an "Oh!" and buried his head against her shoulder as the tears started to flow again.

"There, there…" Wendy comforted her friend as she gently rubbed the back of his head. "Everything's going to be okay now. I'm here…I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere; I swear it. "

Mabel stood silently struck by the heartwarming scene, clutching Dipper's journal that she had retrieved moments earlier, desperate not do anything to interrupt the tender scene.

Wendy started up her Mystery Cart, and began to follow Mabel, who led the way home in her own vehicle. As she drove, she glanced down at the exhausted boy, who had snuggled up against her side and fallen asleep. She smiled down at her friend, before looking up at the night sky, as if the stars helped shine the way through the Gravity Falls Forest. The words of her mother came rushing back as she wondered about the future. Wendy shook away the doubts, as the sight of Dipper cuddled besides her reassured her that she did make the right choice.

"Maybe…" Wendy thought to herself. "Just maybe, this life isn't so bad after all…"


End file.
